Top Marks for School Programmes in Hong Kong

Hong Kong SAR, China: The Golf Association of Hong Kong, China’s (GAHKC) connection with local schools is helping develop the stars of the future – as a recent session spent with the kids at the SPHRC Kung Yik She Primary School showcased.

The school joined the GAHKC’s Golf For School initiative six years ago, with regular training sessions now held on-campus combined with the occasional trip to the Hong Kong Golf Club at Fanling or the Tuen Mun Golf Centre to help the youngsters get a better feel for the game.

Cherry Liu, the school’s head of Physical Education, said: “When this activity was first launched, it received a great response, and everyone supported it enthusiastically. Therefore, our school decided to try and continue developing this project, allowing more children the opportunity to experience and learn golf.

“Our school’s long-standing educational philosophy has always been to promote a diverse range of sports and provide children with opportunities to experience different activities. Golf is a rather special sport because parents usually don’t have many opportunities to engage with it. So our school hopes to use this platform to give children an additional chance to try and learn this sport.”

Since being launched in 2015, Golf For School has engaged with around 55,000 local school kids, finding fun and sometimes even challenging ways to introduce them to the game. Such has been its popularity at SPHRC Kung Yik She Primary that the school has also installed a simulator so the kids can enjoy the game no matter what the weather might be like outside.

“Our students have been participating in this programme for many years now, and they have undergone many different changes,” said Assistant Principal Magic Wong. “Initially, they all thought golf was a very simple sport with easy movements. But after playing for a while, they realised it wasn’t so simple and found it difficult to reach the level required by the coaches. They experienced some frustration but because of that, they train diligently, embodying a spirit of perseverance. 

“Golf is a sport that emphasises self-discipline. Besides practicing hard, one must also be very honest during tournaments. Actually, these two points align very well with our school’s core values. For them, besides developing their golf skills, it greatly aids their personal growth as well.”

Other schools involved in Golf for Schools have included Yan Oi Tong Tin Ka Ping Primary School and SKH Wing Chun Primary School, while the GAHKC has also helped out with ShortGolf demonstrations and themed PE classes, ShortGolf basic/advanced training and Real Golf Fun Days. Golf has also been included in the LCSD’s School Sports Programme.

“It’s all about building the foundations of the game,” said GAHKC CEO Danny Lai.